The diary of two novice gardeners and chicken keepers
Jan 31st, 2011 by Chris
The seed potatoes are now in egg boxes on the window ledge. I bought two packets of Rocket, eight in each, from the pound shop, three packs of Sharps Express, ten in each, from Focus and I have about twelve Vivaldi saved from some from Sainsburys. To save on costs I am hoping to use the composted soil on the plots instead of using bought compost this year. Total spend £6.60.
The potatoes are all earlies and will be grown in bags rather than in the ground.
Jan 22nd, 2011 by Chris
I ordered some bulbs from T&M at the end of last year but so far they haven’t arrived so yesterday I was tempted to buy some from Netto. They should have been planted in the Autumn but as they were only £2 I am going to risk it. They are a collection of pinks and whites and should look good if they get established. Our garden is not the sunniest place either so they are at a disadvantage all round.
Both the tulips; Van Eyk, pink and Purissima, white, are tall varieties and so is the Narcissus Salome so they can go in the back of the rose border round the side of the house. The Crocus Ard Schenk and the Allium Oreophilum will go in the new rockery around the pond. The Narcissus Thalia will be put into the white border.
Jan 8th, 2011 by Chris
We have started to think about the new season. I know it is too early yet to sow seeds and I am determined to be patient.
First thing on the agenda is to get the seed potatoes and start them chitting in egg boxes on the window ledge. I am sticking to earlies only again this year and planting them all in bags. My favourites from last season were Vivaldi, grown from potatoes bought from Sainsburys and Sharps Express, bought as seed potatoes from Focus. I am just growing those again this season.
The second task is to get the parsnip seeds in in February if we have a fine dry day.
I intend to have another go at onions from seed as I have good seed left. Last years were not too good and got neck rot and went soggy before we could harvest them. I am not sure what I did wrong but will have another go. I have Onion Ishikura, Ailsa Craig and a Sweet Spanish Onion. My instructions say sow very thinly in February under cloches or March to April out in the open. Ishikuri are salad onions and are meant to be harvested as spring onions, when they are about six inches high and pencil thick. Ailsa Craig and the Spanish Onion are mild cooking onions which stay in the ground longer and are harvested when they have formed a large bulb. I have just read that the Ailsa Craig are known as Winter Onions and so should have been sown in the winter ready to grow on and harvest the following Autumn.
Because of Christmas, very bad weather and flu I haven’t been to the allotments for a few weeks so I am looking forward to my first visit of the year. I am sure there will be lots of tidying up to do but hopefully a few nice surprises too.
Happy Birthday Sean. 40 today!!!!!!!!!
Dec 18th, 2010 by Chris
Dec 17th, 2010 by Chris
Me and Glenn before my hair was cut off.
Irene and Len
Barbara on her 70th Birthday do before she went for her Christmas break in Cyprus.
Kath and Joyce.
Carol and Jean.
Carol
Pat and Carol
Maxine and Ann
Marie our yoga teacher with her famous special occasion chocolate cake.
Dec 7th, 2010 by Chris
I took this photograph of the Silver Birch when the sun came up this morning.The temperature was hovering around minus six and all the trees were looking very Christmassy.
images by Steve Robinson
Black are my steps on silver sod;
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding cake.
Robert Louis Stevenson.
Dec 3rd, 2010 by Chris
image by Sean Williams
Nov 29th, 2010 by Chris
Today I made one of my favourite cake recipes. Its a variation on a classic Madeira Cake. All it is is one part soft butter, one part sugar and one part self raising flour and the batter can be adapted to the size of your baking tins. I use a smallish loaf tin and the following recipe:-
150gms sugar
150gms soft butter
150gms self raising flour
three large eggs
level tsp of baking powder
pinch of salt
One medium umwaxed lemon
Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Blend the salt into the flour. Add one third of the flour and one egg and fold in then beat the mixture. Add the next third of the flour and the second egg and mix in as before. Add the baking powder to the last third of the flour, add it to the mixture along with the third egg, and some of the zest and the juice of the lemon. Beat the mixture until of a soft dropping consistency then pour into your baking tin. I sometimes grate some lemon zest over the mix before putting it in the oven. Cook in the middle of the oven on 180 for about 35-40 mins.
If your tin is bigger you may adapt the measurements accordingly. I have also used a clementine for a change and golden syrup on another occassion. It is a very useful and reliable recipe.
Nov 22nd, 2010 by Chris
Nov 22nd, 2010 by Chris
I have made a big decision about the Call Ducks and they are now living at Sandwell Valley Park Farm. I think it was the right decision for both me and them but it was heart breaking nevertheless. My original white pair Puddles and Jemima have been with us since June 2006. They were hatched here under a Pekin hen and then brought indoors to be reared on until they were strong enough to live in the garden. My son had moved back home at the same time and so as they were at first in the same room they imprinted on him and would follow him round the garden and even sleep on his lap. They eventually had a duckling, Mylie, and they all lived in the garden together in a large rabbit hutch with the run of the garden during the day.
In 2009 I hatched a clutch of eggs in the incubator. They were all sold except for Rosie who had become attached to Mylie. In 2010 I hatched three Apricot drakes and then the next clutch produced five ducks, four whites and one magpie. Out in the garden Puddles and Jemima hatched One white duck and one magpie drake while Rosie and Mylie had one white duck. All this new life meant that we had fifteen ducks in all, nine girls and six boys. Whilst this was a perfect group our garden was far from perfect for them and I made my decision to find them a home all together.
After a bit of work we were able to take them all to live at Sandwell Valley Park Farm. After a few anxious days and nights we were finally able to visit the farm and see the ducks in their new home. What a relief! The place is beautiful and best of all we met Sue, who is the lady looking after them. She couldn’t be more perfect. She obviously loves the animals and has an empathy with them that shines out. We call her Merryweather because she is our fairy godmother and has made it all ok.
